CK9171WS-S with Warm Sand Handle and Satin Blade

The media could not be loaded. Initial thoughts:1. I actually wanted the blue-gray G10 handles with the titanium finish and got the black/ satin by mistake. I’m not sure I feel like messing around returning this and ordering the right one. I like satin blade finishes better anyway because they don’t show scratches or scuffs when you sharpen them, whereas I’ve sharpened knives with a coating with one of those electric sharpeners (don’t recommend necessarily) and they get all wonky-looking. Just wish I had ordered the blue/ gray handle, because I don’t like the “tacticool” look of black stuff that much.2. It flicks out smoothly and locks up solid. No complaints there.3. One thing I wasn’t sure about was the takeup on the closing. At first, I was worried that a little pressure on the flipper was going to slowly open it on accident so it could either get hooked into your pocket or leave an edge to slice a thumb. The bearing is super smooth and had me worried it wasn’t “safe” but after carrying it a few days, it seems like it’s stiff enough to need intentional deployment.4. I really love G10 material. This is my second knife with it and it’s just got a perfect balance of sturdiness and “grippiness.”5. Thing is sharp AF from factory. I wish I could sharpen all my knives this well.6. I really like the way it rides in my pocket. It’s slim enough that it doesn’t take up much real estate or feel like I’m gonna catch my hand on it all the time digging stuff out of the bottom of my pocket.TL;DR: 9/10 from me. Wish it was blue, but it feels like a solid performer for $42 (at time of writing).Time will tell how it holds up.

I have two of the Harnds Assassin knives that are my EDCs: 1)The all black one for my nightime security job and 2) The blue one for when I’m off work and wearing my blue jeans.These knives are sharp out of the box, centered, fast, easy, and smooth to open. The lock up is solid with no play. The clips are well attached and haven’t come loose yet. Blade is tip up for carry and the clip positions the knife deep in your pocket.The steel is Sandvik and is much easier to sharpen than the D2 knives that are all too common with Chinese knives.The G10 handles fit great in the hand and give you a solid grip.I have so many more expensive knives from premium American and Chinese companies with top end steels but I end up using these knives as my go to knives. These are really great knives for money and the quality beats a lot of American knives at twice and sometimes three times the price.

I have the titanium + gray and the handle pattern reminds me of a imitation manta-ray or shark leather (shagreen) used in Japan for various hilts on their swords and blades. The only downside is it's just not as textured as I had hoped. I know textured scales are hugely popular in custom knives right now and I absolutely love the look of the Assassins pin pricked handle but the texture looks better than it feels. The stipples are too shallow to actually feel in on my fingers and don't really provide any grip. The ergonomics of the handle are amazing. I have never had a folder knife fit so nicely into my hand it almost feels bespoke. I really wish they went all the way and stippled the grainy texture a little deeper.

I am very impressed with the quality and design of this knife. Usually, I prefer US brands like Buck, Benchmade, Spyderco, and some others but this is the only unique product in my collection. It is well centered, bigger size, sleek, smooth operation of the ceramic ball bearing. It is lightweight but well balanced for any task even for self-defence. I prefer it a good EDC as well. The pocket clip is very well designed and just right.I also asked them what is the bevel angle and they told me it is 25 degrees. I prefer 20 degrees but it is fine because it is very sharp out of the box. I highly recommend this brand and type. The price is also reasonable but it should be about $30+. So far I am very happy with this product.The only drawback is that if I need a resharpening service then it is not possible because the company is overseas and it will be difficult to do so but surprisingly they offer this service as well and also any replacement.It has been a while now but the quality is superb. I just bought their Maverick because of a good performance of Assassin. Again I highly recommend Harnds products. Good job Harnds and all the best!!!.

I had been looking at the Benchmade Arcane 490, but I every one I looked at had an off center blade, and I could not justify the cost. I saw this one, which had good reviews, and at about twice what tax would have cost on the Arcane, I figured I would take a chance. It arrived today, and I have to say I got more than I expected. Sure, it does not have the S90V steel of the Arcane, but it makes the same sound when opening, and locks up very nicely. The fit and finish are out of this world for a knife at this price point, and blade centering is as good as it gets. I appreciate knives from CRKT and Kershaw all the way to up to Microtech, as long as they are well built. I'm glad I took a chance on this one because it is probably the best looking and functioning budget knife I have ever bought, and it does not look like a budget knife at all. Maybe time will reveal some shortcomings, but so far, this one is a winner all day long!